Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur
Touchdown at Kuala Lumpur airport, Its very modern like an enormous glasshouse with marble floors. We have to take a futuristic airtram to collect our luggage.... then a high speed train into KL's city centre. After a comfortable and quick ride, which included air-conditioning and a plasma TV, we get to the station in the city center. I feel my usual frequent urge to use the ladies, but I am shocked to find the toilet provided is molded into the floor, a hose is provided to wash myself down with my left hand. I decide against the idea...
Some friends Rob and Liza of my beau Jason, pick us up and take us to our hotel, eager to explore we head out to the nearby hawker street for a midnight bite to eat. Our Malaysian friend orders us a table full of food, sting ray, oyster omelete, chicken noodles and chilli stirfryed waterspinach. Jase hones in on everything, taking a special liking to the stingray. I pick at pieces of water spinach and chilli, dodging little dried prawn which curb my appetite. I opt for a icy desert with fruit, jellies, syrup and shaven ice.
A little boy makes his third appearance to try and sell some old packets of tissues. Rob tell us little kids are often used to sell things as there cuteness attracts buyers. I feel bad saying no, so I eventually give in to his begging and offer to buy some gum and tissues for 2 ringit. Surprisingly the kid won't bargain down lower then 2 ringit for each, I tried to bargain him down but this kid was tough, a hardened business man, this boy would budge a smile. So I gave him back the gum (it was soggy anyway) and bought the tissues for 2 rm, exstortion in Malay money... the cost of my dessert.
We returned to our hotel to get some shut eye, the hotel didn't give us a queen bed, so we pushed the doubles together. Jase had the air-conditioning on cold and with only sheets to keep us warm it was a short and uncomfortable sleep. We were also brewing with excitement to explore the city, so we ventured out at 9am. To our surprise nothing opened until 11am, so we pondered around admiring how grand and expansive the luxury hotels were. Treasuring the use of their clean western toilets with paper supplied.
In the back streets there we encountered little stalls selling nasi lemak from Tupperware containers, its a combination of curries, chicken, egg, fried greenbeans and rice. Some looked more appetising that others, however rob mentioned that this food isn't always fresh and is sometimes used again a few times after sitting in the sun for hours. I was feeling a bit anxious, perhaps from a culture shock, litter and foul smells lurked around corners, there was a coat of dusty black smog on the road and side walks. Every now and then you would walk through a thick cloud of durian scent, Malaysia's prized fruit, which smelt like old socks and moldy cheese. It was busy and hot too.
It was eventually 11am, we retreated out of the humidity to the familiar air-conditioned shopping centres, being almost lunch time we found a place called 'hawker food court' a selection of all the wonderful hawker food but fresh and clean. Very inauthentic of us, I admit I'm not very brave. They offered a buffet where you were charged by how many different foods you selected. My plate of rice, spicy tofu, sautéed okra, green beans and bittermelon was 6rm. $2.30 AU Bargain!
After lunch we browsed through the shops, but one of the centres 5th floor had caught fire and was burning, so we headed towards timesquare Malaysia's biggest shopping centres, 12 floors high. However it was a bit of a let down because many of the floors and shops were vacant.
The 12 floors of shopping made our feet grow very tired, so we decided to get a foot massage. It was only $14 for the hour and it was very relaxing, despite the constant roaring of the roller coaster within the centre, yes a massive roller coaster inside, crazy.
All the relaxing made us feel like we'd had enough of shopping centres, and we took the nearby monorail to Chinatown.
On our way down to Chinatown we caught sight of two policeman, one pulled over an SVU and after a moment let the car go, then ran over to the other policeman, chuckled and snuck him his share of some cash. Fascinating, we just witnessed a bribe. A somewhat small novelty.
In the humid and singeing heat we pottered along, towards the market, occasionally dodging the gaping holes which appeared in the ground. Passing unusual Chinese shops, like the comically titled 'foo kin coffin shop' although considerably morbid to view.
The markets where loaded with fake designer good, hundreds of Louie vitton, Christian dior and chloe bags, wallets and watches. As obvious tourist we stood out to the sellers like fresh meat to vultures. Before we knew it we had spent all our cash and had ended up purchasing the goods that we only ,sort of liked. Because you only had to take a small interest in an item, and the seller would pounce at you "how much you want??".
"just looking" you reply. "How much you want" they'd repeat, until you'd eventually say a minimum you might pay for it. You bargain a little, then walk away uninterested. Which is when they yell out lower and lower prices till you think, why not eh?
Exhausted from our explorations and desperate for a shower we headed back to our hotel.
Some friends Rob and Liza of my beau Jason, pick us up and take us to our hotel, eager to explore we head out to the nearby hawker street for a midnight bite to eat. Our Malaysian friend orders us a table full of food, sting ray, oyster omelete, chicken noodles and chilli stirfryed waterspinach. Jase hones in on everything, taking a special liking to the stingray. I pick at pieces of water spinach and chilli, dodging little dried prawn which curb my appetite. I opt for a icy desert with fruit, jellies, syrup and shaven ice.
A little boy makes his third appearance to try and sell some old packets of tissues. Rob tell us little kids are often used to sell things as there cuteness attracts buyers. I feel bad saying no, so I eventually give in to his begging and offer to buy some gum and tissues for 2 ringit. Surprisingly the kid won't bargain down lower then 2 ringit for each, I tried to bargain him down but this kid was tough, a hardened business man, this boy would budge a smile. So I gave him back the gum (it was soggy anyway) and bought the tissues for 2 rm, exstortion in Malay money... the cost of my dessert.
We returned to our hotel to get some shut eye, the hotel didn't give us a queen bed, so we pushed the doubles together. Jase had the air-conditioning on cold and with only sheets to keep us warm it was a short and uncomfortable sleep. We were also brewing with excitement to explore the city, so we ventured out at 9am. To our surprise nothing opened until 11am, so we pondered around admiring how grand and expansive the luxury hotels were. Treasuring the use of their clean western toilets with paper supplied.
In the back streets there we encountered little stalls selling nasi lemak from Tupperware containers, its a combination of curries, chicken, egg, fried greenbeans and rice. Some looked more appetising that others, however rob mentioned that this food isn't always fresh and is sometimes used again a few times after sitting in the sun for hours. I was feeling a bit anxious, perhaps from a culture shock, litter and foul smells lurked around corners, there was a coat of dusty black smog on the road and side walks. Every now and then you would walk through a thick cloud of durian scent, Malaysia's prized fruit, which smelt like old socks and moldy cheese. It was busy and hot too.
It was eventually 11am, we retreated out of the humidity to the familiar air-conditioned shopping centres, being almost lunch time we found a place called 'hawker food court' a selection of all the wonderful hawker food but fresh and clean. Very inauthentic of us, I admit I'm not very brave. They offered a buffet where you were charged by how many different foods you selected. My plate of rice, spicy tofu, sautéed okra, green beans and bittermelon was 6rm. $2.30 AU Bargain!
After lunch we browsed through the shops, but one of the centres 5th floor had caught fire and was burning, so we headed towards timesquare Malaysia's biggest shopping centres, 12 floors high. However it was a bit of a let down because many of the floors and shops were vacant.
The 12 floors of shopping made our feet grow very tired, so we decided to get a foot massage. It was only $14 for the hour and it was very relaxing, despite the constant roaring of the roller coaster within the centre, yes a massive roller coaster inside, crazy.
All the relaxing made us feel like we'd had enough of shopping centres, and we took the nearby monorail to Chinatown.
On our way down to Chinatown we caught sight of two policeman, one pulled over an SVU and after a moment let the car go, then ran over to the other policeman, chuckled and snuck him his share of some cash. Fascinating, we just witnessed a bribe. A somewhat small novelty.
In the humid and singeing heat we pottered along, towards the market, occasionally dodging the gaping holes which appeared in the ground. Passing unusual Chinese shops, like the comically titled 'foo kin coffin shop' although considerably morbid to view.
The markets where loaded with fake designer good, hundreds of Louie vitton, Christian dior and chloe bags, wallets and watches. As obvious tourist we stood out to the sellers like fresh meat to vultures. Before we knew it we had spent all our cash and had ended up purchasing the goods that we only ,sort of liked. Because you only had to take a small interest in an item, and the seller would pounce at you "how much you want??".
"just looking" you reply. "How much you want" they'd repeat, until you'd eventually say a minimum you might pay for it. You bargain a little, then walk away uninterested. Which is when they yell out lower and lower prices till you think, why not eh?
Exhausted from our explorations and desperate for a shower we headed back to our hotel.
posted by Aimee at 8:26 PM
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